The Best Things In Life Are Free Exploring Solar Energy
Shelby Palmerton & Harman Lindsey
Fact: In one hour, more sunlight falls on the Earth than is used by the entire population in one year.
What is Solar Energy?
Energy obtained through the suns radiation
How do we get it?
Using solar panels, we can utilize the sun's energy
What are the different types of Solar Energy? / What are it's uses? Solar Thermal Energy - converts solar energy from the sun into heat.
This form of Solar Energy is most commonly used for water heaters and residential home heating systems. Solar thermal energy can also be used to heat pools and for space heating. Photovoltaic Solar Energy - energy is created by converting solar energy obtained into electricity using photovoltaic solar cells. Concentrated Solar Power- type of solar thermal energy used to generate solar powered electricity
How abundant is it?
Since solar energy comes directly from the sun, it's very abundant. Obviously, more energy will be obtained on a sunny day than on a cloudy day, but luckily, solar energy can be transferred from one system to another, or from place to place, and the use of batteries greatly enhances the ability to conserve solar power.
What are the costs?
As of right now it is extremely expensive. The most effective solar panel costs $10,000 per square centimeter
What are the environmental effects?
Few to none as we do not have to take anything from the earth. However if placed incorrectly it is possible to divert sunlight to certain plant species
What are the effects on humans?
Again there are no harmful effects from solar power. Currently, however it yields less results so we need to use less and it costs more
World Map of Solar Energy Concentration
HOW IT WORKS AT YOUR HOME%3Proxy-Connection: keep-alive Cache-Control: max-age=0 r> [[image:http:Proxy-Connection:%20keep-alive%0ACache-Control:%20max-age=0%0A%0AF/http.wikispaces.com/file/view/%2FProxy-Connection%3A%2520keep-alive%250ACache-Control%3A%2520max-age%3D0%250A%250AFfile.wikispaces.com%2Ffile%2Fview%2F%252F%252F%252FUsers%252FGuest%252FDesktop%252Fworld_solar_insolation_data.gif]] Problems with Solar Power
Ineffective- currently can only harness 20% of energy collected
Expensive- while the cost in the long run is cheap, getting the proper equipment is extremely expensive
Unreliable- weather patterns could determine when you get power (we all want power in the winter)
Exploring Solar Energy
Shelby Palmerton & Harman Lindsey
Fact: In one hour, more sunlight falls on the Earth than is used by the entire population in one year.
What is Solar Energy?
Energy obtained through the suns radiation
How do we get it?
Using solar panels, we can utilize the sun's energy
What are the different types of Solar Energy? / What are it's uses?
Solar Thermal Energy - converts solar energy from the sun into heat.
This form of Solar Energy is most commonly used for water heaters and residential home heating systems. Solar thermal energy can also be used to heat pools and for space heating.
Photovoltaic Solar Energy - energy is created by converting solar energy obtained into electricity using photovoltaic solar cells.
Concentrated Solar Power- type of solar thermal energy used to generate solar powered electricity
How abundant is it?
Since solar energy comes directly from the sun, it's very abundant. Obviously, more energy will be obtained on a sunny day than on a cloudy day, but luckily, solar energy can be transferred from one system to another, or from place to place, and the use of batteries greatly enhances the ability to conserve solar power.
What are the costs?
As of right now it is extremely expensive. The most effective solar panel costs $10,000 per square centimeter
What are the environmental effects?
Few to none as we do not have to take anything from the earth. However if placed incorrectly it is possible to divert sunlight to certain plant species
What are the effects on humans?
Again there are no harmful effects from solar power. Currently, however it yields less results so we need to use less and it costs more
World Map of Solar Energy Concentration
HOW IT WORKS AT YOUR HOME%3Proxy-Connection: keep-alive Cache-Control: max-age=0 r> [[image:http:Proxy-Connection:%20keep-alive%0ACache-Control:%20max-age=0%0A%0AF/http.wikispaces.com/file/view/%2FProxy-Connection%3A%2520keep-alive%250ACache-Control%3A%2520max-age%3D0%250A%250AFfile.wikispaces.com%2Ffile%2Fview%2F%252F%252F%252FUsers%252FGuest%252FDesktop%252Fworld_solar_insolation_data.gif]]
Problems with Solar Power
How is SolarProx